The Ole way is up
Somehow, despite their deficiencies, Man United and Chelsea still remain in contention to qualify for next season’s Champions League. The winner of Sunday’s showdown will assume pole position but who am I laying my hat on?
Can’t get any worse for United
At the wheel and firmly in the driver’s seat Ole may now be. But even he can't deny United resembling a car crash of a football team at the moment.
Seven defeats in nine is United's worst run since 1962 and certainly not how the Norwegian would have envisaged things panning out following that night in Paris.
Off the pace all over the pitch and with commitment to the shirt questioned - not for the first time this season - OGS is now beginning to realise how things got so bad for his predecessor. And yet, here I am with my somewhat warped take on it all - it can’t get any worse!
Ole way is up
There’s no doubt it has been a rotten week for United and they’ve been rightly vilified for it. But there was a reaction to recent results during the first half against City, before the difference in quality eventually told.
Granted it was a derby and is what you’d expect but there was a buzz and energy about United early on that the Old Trafford faithful got on board with. I can't be the only one of the view that the hosts wouldn’t have been totally undeserving of scoring the opening goal?
In what should have a cup final feel about it on Sunday, United will come up against a side similar to them and not superior to them and I feel they’ll have enough to come through a match of fine margins. Even more so when you consider the away record of the visitors!
Chelsea’s away day blues
It may not seem like it being in possession of a top 4 place with three games to go and on the verge of a European final but Chelsea have so many issues it’s hard to know where to begin.
An owner not allowed in the country, an impending transfer ban, an over-reliance on a player destined to leave, a manager as stubborn as a mule. Like I say, problems aplenty for Chelsea to sort out in the summer too, but let’s take up the matter of the manager ahead of this game because his record against fellow top six teams is abysmal. And that’s being kind!
Away at Spurs, Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool, Chelsea have been well and truly outplayed and quite rightly have zero points for inept showings.
The Blues also walked away with tails between their legs at Wolves and Everton leaving them with a total of six defeats and a measly two goals to show for fixtures against the leagues’ better teams.
Clearly, Sarri has an issue in the big games and, dare I say, looks a tad out of his depth. And should he continue his flawed system of using Eden Hazard, against the best sides, through the middle as some ‘false 10’, instead of in his preferred role cutting in from the sides, then expect Chelsea to head home point-less once again.
Man. United vs Chelsea betting tip
I’m not expecting a classic by any stretch but it should be an equally intriguing watch nevertheless.
For as bad as United have been, Chelsea’s shocking away record tips the scales in favour of a narrow home win for me, a bet that can be backed at 7/4 with 888 Sport.
